How to Age Guitar Wood
Guitar companies such as Fender offer brand new electric guitars that have been artificially aged, called relics. These guitars provide the worn-in, well-traveled look and feel of a vintage instrument. Variations on the aging process can be done at home to electric guitars for a fraction of the price. Acoustic guitars can be aged using a vibration machine.
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Things You'll Need
- Sandpaper
- Wood work chisel
- Tinted lacquer
- Airbrush propellant (optional)
Instructions
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Use a medium grit (80-120) piece of sandpaper and rub it over the electric guitar body, removing the glossy texture of the guitar paint. Use a small woodwork chisel to randomly remove a few small chunks from the main sections of the guitar body. Avoid the neck or areas surrounding the pickups.
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Apply a coat of tinted lacquer (available at home improvement stores) to the binding of the guitar to turn it yellow, which indicates aging.
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Use a medium sized brush and apply wood stain (available at home improvement stores) to the exposed wood of the guitar body. The stain will blend with the rough sandpapered parts and chunks removed by the chisel to create a weathered, aged appearance.
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Achieve a further cracked appearance on the guitar's finish by applying an airbrush propellant (available at art stores) such as those made by Paasche. Spray short bursts of color onto the wood of the guitar's body and allow to dry thoroughly.
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To age an acoustic guitar companies, such as Timber Tech offer vibration machines that can make the guitar respond as if it had been played for twenty four hours a day over a period of several months. Testing has shown an increase in resonance and bass frequency, qualities associated with vintage acoustic guitars.
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Tips & Warnings
When removing chunks of an electric guitars body, do it sparingly. Many vintage instruments only have a few signs of wear and tear, so remember less is more.
Lacquer should only be used in a well ventilated area.
Do not ingest or inhale lacquer or airbrush propellant.
Be sure you want to age your guitar, because there is no turning back once you have sanded the finish and removed chunks of the body.
